Turning Actionable Intelligence into Actionable Training & Testing

Turning Actionable Intelligence into Actionable Training & Testing

Moshe Cohen & Vincent Szajdzicki

Once familiarisation training is over, Simfox allows security trainers to build bags themselves allowing them to conceal the tennis ball IED in as many bags as they want. Detection difficulty of the tennis ball IED can be determined by concealing the IED in different parts of the bag and under other items as shown below. The fact that trainers can train and test screeners with a continuous stream of new bags means that x-ray screeners cannot use image recall and must rely completely on their detection skills.

Once testing has been carried out on detection of the tennis ball IED, trainers can then access Simfox’s statistical module to determine which screeners need more training and adapt their training and testing procedures accordingly.

Click here to download the PDF version

Renful Premier Technologies has developed an integrated product suite that aims to fill the intelligence gap in screening operation and the preparation of screeners to the latest terrorism challenges.

Infogence Intelligence Report has been designed to provide actionable intelligence to the security community. By sourcing actionable intelligence data from closed terrorist websites, forums and blogs, Infogence (a Renful Company) is able to provide information, videos and analysis on terrorist activities such as explosives manufacturing, IED concealment, training, recent incidents and more. Further information is available at     
http://www.infogence.co.uk

Renful Premier Technologies then use the intelligence gained to create simulant models of concealed IED’s, discussed in the reports, that can be leased or purchased by customers. They are made from X-ray and CT correct materials and are provided with explanations on their use. These simulant models have been developed with the purpose of assisting the briefing of screeners providing them with an introduction and understanding of likely threats, thus greatly improving their abilities to detect them. Further information about explosive simulants is available at http://www.simulants.co.uk

Once familiarisation training has been carried out, the x-ray images of the simulant models can be inserted into Simfox (X-ray image processor and training and testing simulator) where endless numbers of bags can be created with no need for further capturing. All lessons containing the simulant models can then be provided to screeners in a number of training and testing sessions.

The results generated from the Simfox system (Statistical Module) can provide authorities with feedback of their screeners ability to detect each type of threat object allowing them to introduce further required procedures. Further information about Simfox click here

Moshe Cohen (General Manager, Renful Premier Technologies) says:

“With the introduction of the Infogence report, the simulated models and the Simfox Simulator we can provide screeners with testing and training that will match current requirements and challenges.

Employees cannot be challenged only by TIP images which means a random insertion of a threat object which are not validated by the current threats”

An Example of how Actionable Intelligence can be used to develop Actionable Training & Testing

In late 2008 Infogence gathered intelligence from a thread on x; one of the top 3 extremist internet forums, discussing a new assassination weapon involving the use of tennis balls packed with TATP that if thrown from within an aircraft could blow a hole in its body thus bringing it down mid-air. The thread discussed making a slit in a plastic ball and filling it with TATP and shrapnel before sealing it with adhesive. Additional comments were made about adding time delay mechanisms and remote control detonators.

Using the recipes discussed on the forum, Infogence’s explosives experts where able to create an exact replica of this IED as shown in Fig.1 below.

On receiving the report and the tennis ball IED replica, security trainers can set up classroom sessions with screeners. Here they can discuss the intelligence gathered in the report, increasing the knowledge and awareness of security screeners to possible threats.

The tennis ball IED can be passed around enabling security staff to familiarise themselves with the geometrical pattern, colour and texture of explosives and IED’s enabling them to gain valuable hand search skills and experience. The trainer can use the analysis from the report to teach screeners about the specific characteristics, dangers and procedures on detecting it.

The tennis ball can then be scanned onto Simfox, and shown to x-ray screeners. As Simfox allows for single items to be passed through its x-ray simulator it provides the ideal platform for screeners to compare and learn the x-ray characteristics of a normal tennis ball(Fig2. below, left) and a TATP filled tennis ball (Fig2. below, right).